Show I 1 A CURIOUS FIND IN IOWA party from the smithsonian institutions the ta interest in tha discovery near FaIrA eld jefferson county iowa has intensified since the report of 0 the de professor on anti antiquities of 0 the ohio university has been stating that the relic Is undoubtedly of aztec origin says the st loule louis globe democrat A party ol of scientists from the smithsonian institution Is I 1 now no on 11 its way to gather additional data to aid in determining its origin the find was made september 9 1890 the block of 0 wood in which the records records were Is about the size of a common brick the outside of this box was coated coate d with wax or gurn ot of bome kind which not only fas fastened the pieces together but made the receptacle within practically water and air tight after being coated the blocks had been held over a fire that the gunt gum might be melted and evenly distributed and the block la Is not only covered with soot but it is also slightly charred the wood possibly possie ay a bit ot of birch Is excellently preserved preserve il the I 1 outer wrapping of bark Is purplish black indicating that it had been discolored by smoke that on which he characters are written Is as thin as a bit of 0 printing paper of this day a pinkish yellow as fresh apparent apparently aly as the day it was put into the ground the characters are written in red ink possibly the juice ot of some fruit ault or plant the color is bright and the work neat that of nn an expert the bark Is not that of 0 our common birch but more like that which Is used by the indians farther north the wax with which the bits of wood were sealed resembles very much dark sealing wax of these days melts very readily and gives out a faint odor the find was made under the stump of a tree two or three feet deep workmen think the tree must have been fifty years old |